Resources created by Mr Burrowes for use in lessons and for independent work on KS3/KS4 Citizenship, A-Level General Studies and pastoral work

Wednesday, 26 June 2013

Voting systems and debates

There are two general approaches to voting systems: simple majority and proportional representation. The BBC provides an interactive guide to various voting systems (only one is a simple majority system: first past the post); use this to note definitions of FPTP and the other PR systems, and where in the UK they are used.

In your exam you could be asked to discuss the arguments for/against different systems, the reasons why people do/don't or should/should not vote, or simply show some knowledge of how different voting systems are used for different elections across the UK.

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FPTP V PR/STV VIDEOS
First up, a video which explains how STV works:

This one explains 'FPTP', using Ontario in Canada as an example

This one sets out arguments against FPTP

Another video explaining FPTP, though the creator fails to distinguish correctly between England and the UK...

This video compares AV (alternative vote) and FPTP, and argues that neither are fair

We're going to conduct a sample election, counting using both the FPTP system and a simple PR system (no. of votes x 100 divided by number of people in the class).

You can use the links below, as well as your own searches, to help you come up with arguments for/against PR; one issue one vote; electronic voting; postal voting; convenient voting locations; Sunday voting: